Perfect
by Sefie Lynne tilmitt
Summary: In a world knowing only hurt and confusion, Raven Tilmitt is lost alone in the dark... her best friend is dead, and everything seems to be dying around her. Her secret was smothering her... and then all hell broke loose.
1. Default Chapter

Raven Tilmitt sighed, eyes narrowing as she banged her door sealed. Her brother Rage, who was who Raven was slamming the door on, yelled. 

"MOM! She's using her powers to lock me out again!" he hollered. Raven snickered. 

"Later, Rage.. I don't have time to deal with Raven right now. You have powers too. Just concentrate hard, honey. Why not use them to help around the house?" Selphie called. 

Rage grumbled and kicked Raven's door open. 

"Trespasser. What is it you seek in my room?" snapped Raven. Raven was certainly a suiting name for her. She was tall and slender with eerie deep blue eyes and long, dark black, straight hair. 

"Stop being so strange, Raven." scowled Rage. Raven gave him an evil just-leave-me-be look. 

"If you are here to insult me," she said icily and smoothly, "Please, save your breath and comebacks for someone who will at least listen."

 Rage's face turned red. "

Please, let me continue my business and you your own." Persisted Raven. She looked away, as if she had no time for such nonsense. 

"What exactly do you think you're doing?" Rage had his hands on his hips. He glared at his sister. 

"I am drinking my herbal tea and begging you to move on. Please." 

Raven stood up, now 5 foot 7 and towering over her brother. She was 17 and Rage was 15, but Raven was taller, thinner, and stronger. Rage was a mere 5 foot 2. Raven was dressed in her usual. A black long sleeved shirt, black jeans, black boots, and a black jacket. Her hair was in a nice, long, neat French braid. She was rather intimidating. Rage on the other hand wore nothing but neon colors and white tennis shoes. He was the most popular kid in high school. His sister was quite the opposite. Selphie Tilmitt poked her head in.

 "Under control, I presume?" she asked cheerfully. 

She expected her kids to get along perfectly and be best friends. Yeah right. Like that would happen. As soon as their mother was well away, Raven narrowed her eyes. Familiar sign. Uh-oh. Rage backed off, eyes wide. 

"Eviction notice." Said Raven calmly, telepathically picking her brother up by the collar of his bright orange shirt and throwing him, literally, out of her room. The door was locked, and despite how he tried, Rage couldn't get back in. He hadn't got to tell her. He'd just have to make sure she showed up himself.  
  
`Raven closed her book. What had Rage wanted? She stood up, picking up her backpack, and heading off. Her vacation was over. Back to Balamb Garden for her. She looked around to make sure no one was looking, and summoned Bahaumut. Raven climbed gently onto his back. She had inherited this GF from her mother. It was her best friend. Of course, her only friends at all were her summons. She felt free, and yet the freedom was bitter, because she knew it would only last for a few sweet minutes.

Raven felt the crystal pendant under her shirt pulse gently and warmly. This crystal allowed her to talk with the GFs any time, even when they were not with her. It was her most prized possession. She lived daily with a horrible secret that tore at her heart and mind. No one knew. At least, no one human. Raven knew all her GFs could be deeply trusted. Her heart ached horribly. Her best friend, Odin, had died only a little while ago. Died protecting her. His last words to her gave her a tiny ray of hope that shimmered in her heart. It was all that kept her going in her misery as she hopped off Bahaumut, hugged him, and as he disappeared, walked off to the same familiar monotonous torture of Balamb Garden.


	2. A Mysterious New Student

Raven broke the light blue crystals of the heat pack. They crunched beneath her pale, long, slender fingers as she applied pressure, becoming level and translucent. These were all over the Balamb Garden Underground Barter. Students were using them left and right. They stayed hot for two hours, and they stuck to your forehead indiscernibly. No one had been found out yet. But tons of students got sick days; days off frequently spent sneaking off beyond Garden. Raven stuck it to her forehead and went up to a teacher. 

"Ma'am, I really don't feel well." She said in a believable sickly voice. The woman felt her forehead. 

"You're burning up! Go to the infirmary, Raven… " She said with concern. 

_Hehe_. Raven, trying to hold back a victorious smirk, walked towards the infirmary. On the way she ran smack into a boy who was, if possible, taller than she. He appeared a towering 6 foot 4. He was muscular, and Raven had never seen him before. He had on a deep blue t-shirt and big, baggy cargo jeans . He had extremely messy black hair and odd eyes.. They seemed to mirror whatever color was dominant in front of him. Which was black, so his eyes were scarily black and overly eerie looking. 

"Heat pack?" he asked. His voice… wasn't it familiar in a strange way? Raven shook her head, amazed. 

"Yeah." she found herself saying before she could stop herself. 

"Yes. Just as I thought." The boy laughed softly to himself, "I am O-.. I am Xeno. And you are Raven Tilmitt?" he asked, smiling strangely.

 Raven was creeped out. This abnormal boy knew her name, and that she had a heat pack to fake her illness. 

"Yessir." 

"And you're a sorceress are." 

"I am not!" yelled Raven defiantly, and more than a little unnerved.

"Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me."

"There is no secret, bastard!" 

"Stop. I am no dim-witted moron; so do not play me for one. Please. I can be trusted. I promise. Believe me, Raven, if you will."

 Raven, to her own surprise, found herself trusting him. But this boy. how could he know? Terror gripped her heart.. What if he told everybody? She would be sealed evermore in a tomb, the Sorceress Memorial, Tears Point… The Lunatic Pandora. even years after the sorceress war, everyone feared all sorceresses.. She couldn't die. Therefore she must be sealed away if people found out she was a sorceress. She truthfully wouldn't mind passing away.. But she'd have to pass her powers on to some poor, unsuspecting person, and another sorceress would exist. So, if exposed as a sorceress, she would never die. They would seal her away, ever living till the end of time. all alone.. Forever. The next thing she knew, strong hands were on her shoulders to prevent her from falling to the floor. Raven caught her breath, sweat pouring down her face. She felt sick for real now. 

"Are you okay?" it was Xeno's deep voice. 

"Go away... Leave me be. Don't seal me!!!" gasped Raven.

She was obviously not quite in the best state of mind right now. 

"Shhhh! No one will seal you. Calm down, Raven." He shook her shoulders, and she got a grip on herself. 

"Sorry, sir." Raven said, blushing out of sheer embarrassment of how she had conducted herself under pressure. She pulled herself out of Xeno's strong grip. 

"Excuse me, but I was ordered to the infirmary. Good day." She said coldly, walking away. Little did she know, it was not the first, and completely not the last, time she had seen or will see Xeno.


	3. The Meeting

_Bang bang bang_. Raven's headache was not improved by this, nor her mood. She jumped off her bed and opened her door. It was Rage. 

"I gotta friend I wancha ta meet!" he said enthusiastically. 

"No." she nearly shut the door in his face. 

"Why not, Raven?" 

"Whatever. I'm not feeling well." 

"Really? Oh, well, then, I already promised, and you owe me one for not telling mom you FLEW to school on Bahaumut. And I guarantee it'll make you feel better and you'll have lots of fun, PLEASE Raven?" 

"Who is it?" 

"Um. I can't say." 

"Certainly you can. Or I'll pull a no-show." 

"Oh. c'mon!" Rage grabbed her by the sleeve and literally tugged her down the hall. "He's… waiting… in… the… Quad." gasped Rage, struggling to pull his sister down the hall. Dang, she put up a fight.. 

"No! Stop it and grow up!" 

"Here!" smiled Rage. 

He shoved her into the Quad, and to her horror, Xeno was sitting with his back to the door. Her horror washed away when she heard his music. he was playing an acoustic guitar, and singing an all to familiar song. her favorite, by chance.. It was Iris, by the Goo Goo Dolls lead singer John Rzeznik. She strolled over to him. His eyes had seemed to change to a mysterious purple now. He spun around, the music abruptly stopping. 

"Hello, Raven. Rage told me someone would be here for me to be acquainted with. though I hardly anticipated it to be you." Xeno smiled. She looked over at Rage, but her wrath had melted away, the song still ringing in her ears. 

"Hey, Xeno. You're an amazing vocalist and guitarist." She blurted out against her will.

 Rage smiled and slipped out. He had been sure they'd get along. Xeno smiled. 

"Thanks. I write my own music. but…" 

"But what?" 

"I suck. = P" 

".. Oh." 

"Aw man. you believed me? That must mean I really DO suck.." Raven scowled. She had fallen into a trap. If she ever got her hands on Rage… 

"… So, feeling better?" 

_No._

"Yes, I suppose." She said stiffly. 

"… You're ticked off at me." 

"How'd you ever guess?"

"Maybe how cold you are?" 

"I am not cold." 

"Sure. Whatever you wanna believe.."

" = (" 

Xeno smirked. 

"Oh, grow up!" 

Raven stormed to the door, to find her brother Rage had it blocked. Through the window, Rage stuck his tongue out. Without turning around to face Raven, Xeno closed his eyes and the doors burst open. Raven gasped. Xeno possessed great powers, and she sensed they were incredibly stronger than hers. She retreated out of the newly opened doors. She wished Xeno would leave her alone, seeing as he had managed to scare her once again. 

Rage ran after her. Xeno was strange and scary. all she wanted was to get away from him, and everyone else. When she arrived at her dorm she slammed her door, making it inaccessible. 

"Raven, open up!" called Rage from outside. She scowled. 

"Intruder, you will not have officially authorized right of entry to my room. I will press charges if you do so." Said Raven, taking her typical approach on His Annoyingness (Rage). 

"Oh, stow it. I'll deal with you tomorrow." Grumbled rage. 

When she was sure His Annoyingness was gone, she collapsed on her bed, thought overshadowing her. Who was this Xeno? How could he be on familiar terms with her name? Where had he come from? Where did his powers come from? How strong were they? Why was he so eccentric? Why was he here? She tossed and turned, changed into her nightdress, and crawled under her heavy covers. She thought to herself until she drifted into a typical nightmare-filled, sleep.


	4. The Sorceress and the Threat

Raven got up the next day feeling much better. Her nightmares hadn't been too dreadfully awful, at least not as bad as they usually were. She sat down to her breakfast, a Cinnamon Bagel smothered in cream cheese and orange juice. She sat here pendant on the table. 

"G'morning." She said through a mouthful of bagel.

 Bahaumut appeared to be the only GF wide-awake, because only his voice answered back. 

"Good morning, Raven. How are you?" 

"F-F-Fine." she said in the course of a yawn. 

There was a thunderous rap on her door. 

"RAVEN!" someone yelled. 

She recognized that voice.. Xeno. No way she was answering him. Then…

"RAVEN! OPEN UP!" 

It was Rage this time. He sounded scared stiff. At this Raven sprinted to the door. If this was some dim-witted gag… She opened the door. 

"Well, what is it?" she griped, relieved she had had her robe on. 

Rage would never let her stop thinking about it if he'd seen her in her lilac nightgown with fluffy clouds, stars, and moons all over it. Both Xeno and Rage were both gaping, rooted to the spot, at her door, a look of shock on their faces. "Well, stop looking so dumbstruck! What is it?" snapped Raven. 

"L-L-Look!" said Rage, pointing a quivering finger at her door. She looked at it. Etched into it were words.  
  
Raven, holder of the Guardian Force Pendant, the Summoner's Crystal, beware. Death will come unexpectedly soon if you do not leave the Guardian Force Pendant in all its greatness in the Quad before tomorrow's dawn. You have been most graciously warned.  
  
Raven took a step back. What was this? Who did it? It couldn't have been Rage, or even Xeno, for they were both standing beside her looking scared out off their wits. She tried to act calm and indifferent. 

"So? Whaddya bet it's a punk on a dare?" she asked uninterestedly. 

"Yeah, but what if it's not?" asked Xeno apprehensively. 

"And what are YOU doing here at any rate?" Raven glowered at Xeno, an expression of total disdain on her face, hands on her hips. 

"I was coming to make an apology for being a jerk last night." Said Xeno, now detached, icy, and collected. 

"Well, apology acknowledged, I s'pose. Good day." Raven's cold composure was back. 

"Yes ma'am." Xeno turned away, his eyes a frosty blue, and left.

 "A dare my foot!" exploded Rage when he thought Xeno was out of earshot. 

"You've gotta quit assuming things, Raven! It CAN'T'VE been a dare! Only you and I and the GFs know about your pendant!" 

"Why do you care?" 

"Because you're my sister! I don't have a father to care about, cause he ran off and never looked back! So I have to care about you doubly, Raven!" 

"… Yeah, sure. Whatever." 

"Please don't be like this to me, Raven!" 

"RAGE, get a grip! You listen up!" she growled, fury glowing in her eyes. Raven grabbed him hard by the shoulders. 

"You repeat this, I'm dead, understand?" she whispered. 

"Y-Yes.." 

"Listen and listen good, cause I'm never ever gonna repeat this. I cannot get attached to anyone. I am a sorceress. Get it?" 

"… You're..?" 

"Yes. The evil Ultemecia did not truly die. Her spirit lingered. Because no sorceress truly dies until she passes her powers on. She lingered, and then she passed her powers onto me. Tell anyone, they'll seal me at Tears point… the Lunactic Pandora... Or in space… I'm evil. Okay? I can't be 'nice' to anyone. I'm afraid of my powers. I am a sorceress."

 And with that, Sorceress Raven walked away from her astounded brother, her heart bleeding with the weight of this burden. 


	5. Intervention

Raven picked herself up. "Oh, you want some more?" guffawed a jock contemptuously. She already had a busted lip, and her nose was bleeding. "Last strike, Tilmitt." Cackled one of the jock's cronies. The jock, to Raven's dreadfulness, took out a small but razor-sharp knife. "Lemme see.. I'll go for her arm. See how she deals with that." He hoisted the blade, but just before it plunged into her tender flesh, and gloved hand grasped the jock's hand. "Hey. D'you want me to sick the Headmaster on you?" growled none other than Xeno. He snapped the jock's arm backwards, who shrieked in rage and pain. It was obviously broken. The jock whimpered and howled in turns. Then all four of the jock's cronies jumped Xeno. Xeno was on the floor in seconds, flat on his back, getting pounded. Xeno fought back as best he could. They still beat him down. "Stop!" yelled Raven. "Whatcha gonna do, sissy smack us?" sneered one. The others chortled as they piled off. Xeno was unmoving. "I think you have a lot of explaining to do. ALL of you. Raven, will you please find Rage and help Xeno to the infirmary?" "Yessir, Headmaster Leonheart.." Headmaster Leonheart grabbed the jock unmercifully by his broken arm and pulled him to his feet. "Come with me." He said coldly. The cronies shrunk back but did not have the courage to refuse to comply Headmaster Leonheart's commands. Raven knelt beside Xeno. Why had he intervened? She had been so awful to him. She draped his arms around her shoulders and went as fast as she could with Xeno's extra weight to the infirmary. 


	6. Friends

Xeno opened his eyes to see Raven staring off into space and Rage coloring in a coloring book. "Good! You're awake! Here. I got you one case you got bored." Grinned Rage, tossing a coloring book at Xeno. Xeno couldn't hold off a smile. "You okay?" Raven's voice was flat and emotionless as she spoke to him. "Yeah.. Kingdom Hearts, my favorite game. I'm coloring my favorite character, Riku. Cool book. Just don't tell anyone I colored. Okay?" "Hehe =) BLACKMAIL!" "Shut up, Rage!" ". Fine. Whatever." Raven said. "Thanks, Raven. I'll take it you won't tell anyone either, Rage. I have to much dirt on you ; )" said Xeno, smiling evilly. "Aw kuso. he's right, ain't he?" groaned Rage. "Yes I am. Muahaha." Smirked Xeno. "Oh, stow it, Xeno. I thought you were injured." Rage laughed. "Yes, but my mouth works just fine." Xeno joked. "Yo bad your brain doesn't.." Raven said, finally playing a part in the conversation. "What brain?" asked Rage tersely. Xeno scowled. "Oh, ha ha. I may have a small brain, but it's there allright. It's just a more up to date, sleeker, more.. compact version." Raven found herself laughing with Rage and Xeno. Maybe Xeno wasn't so bad after all. Rage groaned. "I'm gonna DIE if I don't get food within the next thirty seconds! Be back with poptarts for everyone, my treat!" He ran out of the room, leaving Raven an opening to pose a question she'd been waiting to ask Xeno alone. "Xeno." "Hmmm?" he asked, coloring neatly an image of Kairi, Sora, and Riku. ". Why in the world did you stop those nimrods?" ". They were gonna injure you. Naturally, I had to help. That's what friends are for. correct?" "You sure have an strange way of establishing friends." ". Well, do I meet the requirements?" "Huh?" "To be your friend?" Well, he had bailed her out of some deep trouble.. And now he didn't seem that appalling. She couldn't believe she was saying this. "Yeah, I think so." "Excellent." "Don't bring about my antagonism and I'll continue being your friend. Okay?" "How come? You're so comical when you're infuriated!" "Shut up." "Allright. And Raven?" "What?" "Please, PLEASE be careful about that threat." ". I will." "You and your GFs are in danger." ". How do you know about my GFs?" "Leviathan, Doomtrain, Eden, Bahaumut, Siren, Shiva, Ifrit, Tonberry, Cactuar, Alexander, and Diablos? Oh, I know them." "How do you know them?" ". That would give it away. Haven't you ever heard the expression; a good magician NEVER reveals his secrets? Well, let's say I'm a magician for now." "Oh, come on. I thought we were friends. Friends can tell friends things. And I REALLY want to know." "Number one, you wouldn't have trust in me if I told you. Number two; I don't give things away that straightforwardly. You're an intelligent, sharp girl. You can figure it out on your own." "C'mon! Fess up!" At that moment, Rage exploded in. Explode is what he had a tendency to do when he was inward bound. Pretty fortunate too, cause Raven was going to try and pester Xeno till he answered her. "Strawberry for Raven, Smore for me, and Fudge for Xeno!" He exclaimed. The nurse shot him a fierce look like daggers. He shrunk back. "Guess I shouldn't've been so loud." Xeno stifled a laugh. Rage looked at his watch. "ALGEBRA! KUSO!" he wailed, waving good-bye to Xeno and Raven. "Well, I'd ought to be hauling off, too. See ya, Xeno. Feel better soon." Smiled Raven, walking out. Her thoughts, as she jogged to her Algebra 3 class, were. I'm getting in to deep. Making a friend is a mistake. I'll only lose him. It'll be worse on me. but do I really wanna be alone. forever? 


	7. Fevers and Assumptions

Raven laid her head on her desk.... her head hurt. She only wanted to be in her room, reading a nice romance novel, curled up on her bed with a steaming mug of herbal tea. Yes, that sounded good....  
  
"Raven? Are you okay dear? You're so pale... do you want to visit the nurse?" the friendly, motherly algebra teacher bustled up to her, feeling her forehead. Her face turned pink and she pulled back, brushing her bangs over her forehead. "Um... ma'am..." "Yes?" "...I think... that I-I would like that. Thank you ma'am." Raven stood up, a little dizzily. On her way to the nurses office, she started to stumble and sway. Ohhh... Her head hurt so badly... She fell into strong arms. At first, she thought it was her other brother, her older brother Squall, named after the hero who almost defeated Ultemecia. She looked blearily up. She couldn't see correctly... her eyes blurred.... but she knew those eyes... They were blue green now.... It had to be Xeno.... But it wasn't, it was Odin! But how could that be? Odin. Odin was dead. "All will end righteously. I will not leave you to live alone, and I will not let you get hurt. We are friends, and nothing shall separate us. Not even death." It must be Odin! Those were his last words to her! She knew it HAD to be Odin. She felt herself being lifted into a fireman's carry. This was Odin. right? Or was she assuming too much? She had to quit assuming. But. Odin. she felt her loose her last grips on consciousness as Xeno. No, Odin jogged to the infirmary with her on his back. 


	8. Trust

Xeno closed his eyes. Raven. You've figured me out, haven't you? Please be okay. He looked down at Raven, who still hadn't stirred once in the long while she'd been down for the count. What had happened to her? She had been out cold ever since he found her in the hallway. For a moment, somehow. he seemed to be his old self. "Odin." She groaned. "Not Odin. Xeno. I'm here." "No. Xeno is Odin." Raven's eyes slowly opened. Her cheeks were red, her eyes glassy. Obviously she was still quite sick. "You shouldn't be talking!" barked a grumpy nurse of the infirmary. "I'm fine ma'am." "Is that why you passed out in the hall?" asked Xeno, his voice low, only audible to Raven. She scowled at him. "Shove it." "Well, I can see at least your temper is okay." "Pshht. Whatever." Xeno slipped on his headphones, deciding although when she knew people she was wonderful, but when she didn't trust you all that much, she was to much of a pain in the neck to deal with. (His CD was Dashboard Confessional). He barely heard her as she said softly, "I'm sorry. I'm a tad ill tempered and spiteful. But that's my nature." "Why?" Xeno asked, never lifting even a finger to his headphones. He wanted her to get the message and catch the drift; he too could be a pain, when he set his mind to it. "Past experiences. Most of them bad." ". That forces you to distrust people?" "Yes. You don't get it." "I don't?" "Listen! I don't want to get into this!" "Why not? What's the point in being in pain when you can relieve it by sharing it?" "Listen! I loathe you, and I hate the way you make me feel! This is stuff I never want to get into with ANYONE, much less you. You're weird, and I wish you'd just walk out of my life!" "Then I will." Xeno pulled himself up out of the chair and walked out the door. Immediately Raven's face turned crimson. "I didn't mean it. I was just so ill at ease!" A girl with long black hair, black shorts, a black shirt, and a blue long jacket over it sat where Xeno had been. "He was only concerned for you." "Who're you? Why should you care?" "I'm Rinoa Leonheart, the Headmaster's wife. Why should I care? Because I made the same mistakes. I yelled and lost my temper at the boy I liked. I almost lost his friendship. I just wanted to pass on advice, that's all." Smiled the woman. "You probably didn't have it half as hard as I do." "Oh really? I was a sorceress. I was in Sorceress Ultemecia's control for a while. She made me unseal Adel, the worst sorceress. The boy I liked hated me for about half of the SeeD mission. My father did not approve of me. Now, is your life really that awful?" Rinoa asked. "Whoa. I-I never knew." "I am a sorceress. You are too, aren't you?" "How'd you know?" "A sorceress can see it all. You have to make the best use of your powers, instead of letting it remain and hover as a black cloud at the back of your mind. But don't worry. Your secret is safe with me. But. Can't you see the boy has feelings for you?" "What's that supposed to mean?" "He's fallen for you. Don't you recognize it?" ". Whatever." "And remember how you said you hate the way he makes you feel? Do you comprehend that feeling for what it truly is?" ". Huh?" "Does it feel, basically, like you wanna be around him, to have trust and faith in him?" "Yeah, a little. But at the same time I wanna slap him upside the head at times." "That's how I felt. You like him, too. You'll probably never admit it to him, yourself, or anyone for that matter. most likely. But if you even want to continue being his friend, you've got to finally get up enough guts to at least trust him. Otherwise you'll have lost a good friend. Sorry, I'll leave you to your thoughts now." Rinoa got back up, started to walk away, and looked back for only a moment before disappearing around the corner, "Please at least consider what I've said." She can't be right. Pshht! Like him. yeah right. But. He has not really been all that awful, has he? And I've been so terribly rude. Lose his friendship. I don't want his friendship, or need it for that matter! But.listen to your heart, not your brain, Raven. She slipped off her cot and crept out of the room. She had to find Xeno, she had to apologize. she had to show him her reluctant, but sure, trust. 


	9. SeeD Mission

"I don't get it! A kid can't just disappear into thin air without a trace!" Raven seethed. "Apparently so. Cause we can't find a thing." Sighed Rage. "I looked into the Balamb Garden student files-" "Student's aren't allowed access!" "I hacked, of course! But what I found was quite intriguing. There is no record of a Xeno ever being enrolled into Balamb Garden, nor any other garden. And that made me wonder so I did more digging. There's no record of a Xeno ever being born. That means technically he doesn't exist." "Freaky." "No joke." "And you can't find him anywhere in Garden?" "Nowhere." Raven sighed. Where could Xeno be? Why was there no record of him anywhere? Were her fevered hypothesis's correct? Was he really Odin? A young girl named Star ran up to them. "Hello, Rage, Raven!" she beamed at them. That was typical Star. Optimistic, always happy, forever smiling. "Yo, Star!" smiled Rage, Raven thought quite stupidly. He had the most enormous crush on Star. She was a little shorter than he, with long, glossy black curls and sparkling dark blue eyes. She always wore bright colors, pink, lime, sky blue, yellow. " What do you want?" Raven asked abruptly, unfortunately sounding very impolite in the process. "Headmaster Leonheart told me to tell you to come to his office for a briefing on a SeeD mission." Without a word, Raven took off, bold, long strides causing her brother to have to run to keep up with her. "Bye, Star! I-I'll see ya around!" he called over his shoulder. Star waved and jogged off. "Whaddya think our mission might be?" he asked, panting. "Who knows?" "You don't' have a clue? Seriously?" "Be quiet." "Why?" "Because you're annoying." "No I'm not! Honest!" "You've had to much sugar. Be quiet." "Cranky." grumbled Rage. Raven lapsed into thought as she knocked on the door of the Headmaster's office. "Come in!" Called a voice from inside. Raven and Rage entered silently. "Oh, just the people I wanted to see. Hello, Raven, Rage. How are you?" "Fine!" grinned Rage. "Allright, sir. And yourself?" "I'm okay, thanks. Anyway, down to business. You have a SeeD mission. There is a GF loose. It's not doing any harm of course. I would rather not, but Esthar and Galbadia want it eliminated immediately. Your mission is to go with Star and Yuri, our two other highest ranked SeeDs, to Galbadia and destroy it as soon as possible. Is your mission clear, SeeDs?" "Yessir." Raven gulped, a lump in her throat. "Sure we are, Headmaster! No sweat! Ciao!" smirked Rage, dragging his sister with him out the door. As they left, on their way to the front gate to meet Star and Yuri and stock up on Curagas, Rage noticed Raven's odd expression and her paleness. "What's up, sis?" "Don't you get it? GFs are my best friends. How can they expect me to kill one?" "Oh. ouch." "No joke ouch!" Raven closed her eyes. Something gave her the feeling this was gonna be the longest day of her entire life. 


	10. Justice and Mercy

Raven scowled to herself. Wasn't there any way out of killing a G.F.? "What's wrong?" Yuri asked quietly. He may've been a bit indifferent and detached, but he cared a little about everyone. He noted Raven's crestfallen face. He was soft spoken, and Raven barely heard him.  
  
"G.F.'s aren't evil! Why should they be slain? They haven't done anything to us! I know life isn't fair, but there's supposed to be an equal balance between justice and mercy! This is neither just nor merciful! I look down on, detest, and loathe this!" Raven said fiercely. Raven had never had any real friends, until Xeno of course; but Yuri was a good-acquaintance, as close as she'd gotten to a friend. They were a lot alike. This SeeD assignment was beginning to make them friends. Both of them were cold, lone- wolves on the outside, but decent and even a little warm on the inside. A spark of decency that hardly ever shown. That was their most common aspect.  
  
"Life isn't fair at all; everyone has had an acidic, harsh reality like this. It's like a double-edged sword, cutting its way through you, inside out. It's twisting is unfathomable; deeper than ever... it's swallowing you right now, isn't it? There is no such thing as justice and mercy in the real world; only in peaceable places. Balamb have faith in peace; so does Trabia. But that's about it. I know how it feels, going through this emotion. It's tearing you apart. I can read it in your eyes. You try to shroud your emotions, veil them from view. Don't do that, Raven. It tears you up even worse. If you feel like crying, cry; if you feel like laughing, laugh. I only learned this lesson a very short time ago. When Heather died. I was scared stiff if I cried, it would make things not only worse, but more real. And when I cried, it didn't hurt, to a certain extent, so bad." "Y'Know, you should be a poet." Sniffed Raven, smiling gently at him. Yuri smiled. That smile showed a lot; compassion, humor, amusement, and how much he really shared her pain. "Thanks, Yuri." And if it's the last thing I'll do, I'll do all I can to save this G.F.! "Let it go, all right?" Yuri patted her on the back, then added, "You have to much heart for this job." He walked swiftly away. Yuri was not a man of many words, and didn't have many friends. But, he thought to himself, that girl had a way of getting to you.  
  
Raven closed his eyes. If she was gonna face this without falling apart, she was gonna have to be strong. And Raven had a growing suspicion and a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. That this G.F. She knew it. And it was going to receive neither justice, nor mercy. This felt like the beginning of the end of her undisturbed life at Balamb as a Garden SeeD. 


	11. Galbadia

Star and Rage stood to her left, Yuri to her right. Together they walked through the gates of Galbadia. The tight knot in her stomach squirmed. Raven felt nauseous; all she wanted to do was show mercy to this G.F., to be back at Balamb, living her normal life, with Xeno in it. Yuri laid a hand on her shoulder; she was about to turn and run. He could sense it. His glance said, to put it quite simply, 'be strong, Raven.' Raven nodded with difficulty. Why were human's egos so colossal as to think they were the only good things alive? They were their own worst enemy, not G.F.'s. They thought G.F.'s were monsters; it was truly they who were the monsters. Human's started wars, committed murders. They needed to think more outside the box. She was in her SeeD uniform. A figure of influence, of power and right. In Galbadia, they would be on familiar terms with and distinguish her not as 'the student from Balamb', but 'Raven Tilmitt, a influential figure'. At the moment, she was a GF assassin. She looked over at Rage. His face was set, strong-minded, resolute, unwavering in faith, grim. Her brother would do anything to stop her from getting hurt. He would try and prevent this slaughtering. She swallowed her emotions as she had so often learned to do. They would have to be saved for later, when she had time for them. There were frenzied orders being shouted from in the distance; Raven could take notice of them now that she had let go of her feelings. Star, Yuri, Rage, and Raven all glanced significantly at each other. Nodding, they ran to the source of the noise. "Kill it!" "Squall told us to wait for his SeeD's!" "Who cares what that old eccentric, bizarre fool says?" "Yeah!" "He is no fool! I was with him when he defeated Ultemecia, and if he says wait he has good reason for it!" Raven recognized one of the voices as Zell Dintch, a friend of her mother's that had visited quite frequently when her father had left them. "Cool down, dudes! We're here!" hollered Rage above the racket. "See?" said Zell, arms crossed. The other men complained, grumbled, griped, and muttered among themselves and stepped aside. "I don't want to kill the GF. But I have no choice; it's them who wants ta kill it. The way in to the site where the GF is being contained is here. Good luck. Raven, you go in first." Zell stepped aside. Raven strode unflinchingly past him. Zell blocked the entrance again. "Yo! Lemme through! My sister's in there! I ain't gonna let her face this on her own!" "Trust me, Rage. I have my reasons."  
  
Raven was not in the least bit prepared for what she was about to see as she entered the site where the GF was being contained. It was all she could do to hold back tears and not lose consciousness then and there. 


	12. Odin

Raven felt her blood run cold. She cried out and ran over to her injured friend. Odin was bleeding, lying on the ground. The GF. Her GF. Xeno. "Oh my God." she curaga-ed him frantically. "I thought you wanted me out of your life." Odin. no, Xeno. Xeno said softly. Raven felt the blood rise in her face. "No no no no. I did NOT mean that, and you know it! Xeno!" Odin laid his head down on the pavement. "Raven." "Don't you dare die on me!" Raven's eyes filled with tears. "What did they do to you?" "They have shot me. You know how badly injured I am, Raven." "Well, ya gotta pull through! Ya did last time! Odin, listen to me!" Raven got down on her hands and knees and looked him in the eye fiercely. "NO!" "You think life should be simple, fair. But it is not. You will never truly be without me, because I will always be in your heart. Isn't that right?" "Yes. I'm not ready to be all alone again. I took you for granted as Xeno. You WERE Xeno, right?" "Yes. I thought you would never figure it out." Odin chuckled softly to himself. "KILL THAT BEAST!" roared a Galbadian Soldier behind them. "NO!" she screamed back. "It is your duty Raven. Kill me and be done with it. There is no other option. Just make it fast and painless." The look in Odin's eyes sent tears streaming down her face. "How could you say that? You know very well you're my best friend, I could and would never do anything to hurt you!" she burst out. An idea struck her. "Get inside my crystal!" "I'm sorry, Raven." "You were the most head-headed GF I'd ever seen! Don't give up on me! You'd've never given up before! Odin, SNAP OUT OF IT! I won't let you get hurt!" "Raven! What's going on? Are you okay?" Rage sprinted over towards her and knelt beside her, concern totally obvious. "I'm fine. But he's not. Don't you recognize him? It's Odin! Xeno!" "Ha ha. Funny, sis. Seriously. Let's just get this over with." "I AM serious! I won't let you kill him." Raven blocked Odin from any line of fire. "Raven. that's why there was no record of Xeno." Rage helped Raven heal Odin. "Oh my." Star gasped. She stood behind them. Yuri did not speak, but he put a strong, comforting hand on Raven's shoulder. That said plenty. "Don't you die on me Odin." Raven whispered. A glimmer of hope shown on the brink of this nightmarish darkness. Silver sparks flew around Odin and he slowly faded away. Raven held her GF pendant close. "Hang on, Odin." Rage helped her up; she was surprised to find out how weak she had become. "Come on. Let's go back to Balamb." Raven fell to her knees. She struggled to her feet. "Don't." Yuri put her in a fireman's carry on his back. "You did good, Raven; I'm proud of the way you handled this." Raven smiled slightly. She was so tired. she was slipping in and out.  
darkness. 


	13. Promise

Raven closed her eyes. Things just weren't the same now that Odin. no; she had resolved to think of him as Xeno. Xeno was gone. The first few days the tears were bitter. She had no idea what had happened to her friend. She had turned to get Zell to help them cure Xeno, and when she turned back around, Xeno had disappeared completely. For a while Rage had tried to comfort her. And Xeno stayed in Raven's dreams. Seemed to haunt her almost. How could she have let him die? Raven laid her head in her hands. Memories flooded her senses. This was the place where Rage had dragged her, and she had watched Xeno play guitar. She turned her back. He had played Iris. Her favorite song. She sang her next-to-favorite song, Acoustic #3. She rocked on her heels. Rage had left her alone, and she was appreciative. "And I tried so hard to reach you, but you're falling anyway." "And you know I see right through you, cause the world gets in your way, what's the point in all this screaming, no one's listening anyway." Raven spun around. "Oh my God!" she threw her arms around his neck. There stood Xeno. He looked frazzled but happy. "Nice to see ya." He grinned, hugging her back. She pulled back. "how did you-" "Raven Tilmitt, you are to curious for your own good. You'll find out. Someday." She smiled. "Okay. I'll settle for that. Only this once." "Are you up for some supper?" Raven laughed. She looked him up and down. He looked exactly like he had when she had first met him. Tall, thin, muscular, with messy black hair and reflecting eyes that seemed to change colors. He had on the same deep-blue t-shirt and cargo jeans. Raven realized with a start that he looked quite handsome. "Sure." "I can make pizza, if you'd like. Or we can go out." "I hope you cook half as good as you look. Pizza. An while I'm over, it seems you wrote some lyrics, too. I want to hear them played and sang, if you wouldn't mind." Xeno smiled ruefully. "As long as you don't make fun of them." "I won't. I promise. Why would I laugh?" "Rock on." Xeno blushed. "Um, well, most of them are sucky. And they're about. about this friend who's always been my friend but now I think that maybe I like as more than a friend. About you." Raven was taken aback. She hadn't been expecting that. "Oh." "I told you it was dumb." His face turned red. "That's not dumb. Cause that would mean the fact that you like me is dumb. And I feel the same way." "For really?" "Yeah." "Promise me we'll always be friends though, through everything." "I promise." 


	14. The Perfect Year

Raven hugged Xeno. It had been exactly three months since Xeno had reappeared to Raven. In that period of time, they had become very serious. It was once again the beginning of break. Everyone was going home. "I'll see you later, Xeno." Raven stood on tiptoes and gave Xeno a kiss on the cheek. Xeno was going home with Headmaster Leonheart. Headmaster Leonheart and his wife Rinoa had adopted him. He was now Xeno Leonheart.  
  
"See ya. You had better write soon!" Xeno said. "Every day." Raven reassured him. Rage tugged her sleeve. "Mom's here! Cut the mushy stuff and come on!" "Looks like you've been through some mushy stuff to, Ragey." Snickered Raven. She pointed at his face. There was a lipstick print on it. Rage's face turned red to where the lipstick blended right in. "Y'see, um, Star just wanted to say bye and. Oh, COME ON!" sniffed Rage. "Bye Rage. Good luck with Star." Xeno and gave Rage a high- five. "See ya buddy. Let's go, sis!" Rage said. Selphie Tilmitt waved to them. With her was. their father. Rage whispered in Raven's ear. "Dad came back! For really! Can you believe it?!" Raven grinned and waved back at her mother. "Raven." Xeno hesitated. "Yeah?" "Here. I have no idea what to say. I'm not to good with words." He handed her a small velvet box. "Open it at home and call me. You have my number. I know this was a chicken way to do it. But I'm a chicken myself. See ya soon, love ya." Xeno dashed off. As Raven, Rage, their father, and Selphie walked off towards the car, Raven thought back on the previous year. It had been a mixture of emotions. Most of them good. It had been perfect. She opened the black velvet box. Right inside was a golden ring with a beautiful diamond shining in the middle. Her family was back together, and now she was part of two families. It looked like soon she would be Raven Leonheart. Raven turned around. She could still see the faint outline of Xeno. "I'll be right back. Wait a sec." She said to her family. She sprinted over to him. "I do." She grinned. Xeno smiled and hugged her back. "You're not home, but this'll work." She slipped the ring onto her finger. "I'll see you very soon. I promise." She waved, walking backwards toward her family. Her life had seemed so horrible before this year. But now. it was perfect. She spun around, smiling, and ran to meet her family with the news of the engagement. She had expected nothing less for the end of a perfect year.  
  
~ THE END ~ 


End file.
